After J. retrieved his lost backpack from the bus, we could continue our plan of visiting the famous
Wieliczka Salt Mine in Krakow, Poland.
The Wieliczka Salt Mine was busy with many visitors from different parts of the world on the day we visited.
First we had to line up to buy our admission tickets, then we needed to go to a second line waiting for the guided tour.
We joined the English group waiting for about thirty
There were about 400 tour guides hired for the peak tourist season at the mine per year.
Each guide took a group of about 20-25 visitors and we needed to stay together for the entire time of the tour.
Our tour guide led us down the stairs carefully, 120 meters deep below ground.
We learned that 700 years ago, an unknown man in the Wieliczka, Poland, found a large muddy stone at the bottom of a wall. He brought it up, cleaned it ad noticed that it was salty.
The Salt Mine has numerous chambers.
Mining salt deep underground was dangerous work therefore miners built a chapel and prayed for their safety.
Miners themselves had devoted much of their time creating beautiful religious sculptures.
The most spectacular sight was the great room with all the gigantic chandeliers, staircases, walls and floor tiles all made and carved out of salt crystals.
It was amazingly beautiful!
The Wieliczka Salt Mine was busy with many visitors from different parts of the world on the day we visited.
First we had to line up to buy our admission tickets, then we needed to go to a second line waiting for the guided tour.
We joined the English group waiting for about thirty
There were about 400 tour guides hired for the peak tourist season at the mine per year.
Each guide took a group of about 20-25 visitors and we needed to stay together for the entire time of the tour.
Our tour guide led us down the stairs carefully, 120 meters deep below ground.
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| Many things such as these floor tiles were made out of salt crystals from the mine. |
We learned that 700 years ago, an unknown man in the Wieliczka, Poland, found a large muddy stone at the bottom of a wall. He brought it up, cleaned it ad noticed that it was salty.
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| The mine is filled with sculptures telling the history & stories of its people. |
In the old days, salt was precious and regarded as white gold. Rightly so, as it brought in about 1/3 of the country’s revenue for the king’s treasury.
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| One of the chapels in the mine. |
The first thing we saw after entering the mine was the chapel. In fact there were more than one chapels in the mine.
The Salt Mine has numerous chambers.
Mining salt deep underground was dangerous work therefore miners built a chapel and prayed for their safety.
 |
| Many religious sculptures decorate the chambers in the mine. |
Miners themselves had devoted much of their time creating beautiful religious sculptures.
Miners also made beautiful furnishings from salt crystals such as these spectacular chandeliers to decorate the underground chapels, dining rooms and numerous chambers
Generations of self-taught sculptor miners had created different sculptures for the mine.
Miners also left their marks on the saline sidewalls.
The most spectacular sight was the great room with all the gigantic chandeliers, staircases, walls and floor tiles all made and carved out of salt crystals.
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| A spectacular hall created underground and carved out of salt in Krakow, Poland. |
It was amazingly beautiful!
A huge mine and the world's oldest salt mine, the Wieliczka Salt Mine started its operation in the 13th century.
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| We saw a lake deep underground in the salt mine. |
After millions tones of salt have been extracted over the centuries, the mine produced table salt
continuously until 2007.
It was registered as one of the UNESCO sites in 1978.
No longer a working salt mine, nowadays, the Salt Mine is a beautiful venue for cultural and special events such as weddings, concerts, plays and exhibitions.
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| Wieliczka Salt Mine - a beautiful venue for special and cultural events |
Many famous musicians and artists have performed in this famous venue.
Visitors can book and stay in the salt mine’s modern accommodation underground.
We did not know or plan to visit the Wieliczka Salt Mine on this Polish visit.
After we arrived in Krakow, we found out about it and decided to visit this important UNESCO landmark.
We surely glad we did. This is one must do tour when you are visiting Krakow, Poland!
R.T.
Wieliczka Salt Mine
Krakow, Poland
p.s. a small mishap when we got separated from S. Spent a lot of time looking for him after the Great Hall.
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